What Happens When You Get Snowed In
by velvet-sometimes
Summary: A Christmas-flavored drabble set, complete with dogs, secluded cabins, and a mysterious landlord.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men. I am making no profit from this fan based work.**

Rogue watched the snow flurries dancing in the breeze on the other side of her windshield as she traversed the old dirt road up to the cabin she'd rented for the winter.

One of the brown paper bags on of the passengers seat beside her started to buzz and vibrate, and she knew it was the little silver cell phone she'd dropped inside it going off for the sixth time that day. She let it ring without even looking for it.

Instead she turned up the volume on the Christmas carols that were crackling though her worn out radio from some station she'd never heard of; coming out more static-y and distant the higher up the mountain she drove.

Rogue was determined that she wasn't going to work during this vacation. Even if she had to spend it alone in a cabin in the woods, her phone locked in a drawer somewhere.

No more Christmas Eve missions. No more New Years explosions. No more near death experiences when she should be opening gifts and watching sappy movies.

Rogue had had enough; she was going to relax this Christmas if it killed her.

 **Note: So this story is half finished on my hard drive and has been there since 2011. I figured now was a good a time as any to start posting some of it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men. I am making no profit from this fan based work.**

Spotting the turnoff into what was supposed to be her driveway, 'Shades Crest Road' looked more like a deer trail than something her old Hyundai Elantra could actually fit down. Evergreens guarded the sides of the road, fitted into steep slopes that were piled with snow; the only tracks in the snow besides the ones in which she was carving herself having come from a rather large looking creature she wasn't going to dwell too long on's identity.

She drove slowly, enjoying the feeling of total seclusion. For the first time since hitchhiking her way right into the hands of the professor all those years ago, Rogue was completely alone; no one knew where she was or what she was doing. It was a rather freeing experience.

Through the trees she could see a glimmer of her cabin and smiled at the image of it; It had been a long trip to finally reach this point. To make sure she wasn't called back for something stupid, she'd drove more than twelve hours to some little no named town up in Canada.

If she was lucky, she might even get till New Years before someone took out the Blackwing and tracked her down.

 **Note: chapter two I guess?  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men. I am making no profit from this fan based work.**

As she finally pulled up in front of the small one bedroom cabin, Rouge quickly shut off the engine, eagerly jumping out into the chill to get a better look at her temporary home. The snow crunched under her boots wonderfully and she kicked at a small pile of it that was beside her car door and watching as the fluffy flakes scattered in the air. So very different from the hard-packed snowbanks that lined the roads back in New York.

She laughed at that, smiling and enjoying the cool bite in the air before turning to take in the image of her new home. The lights were on inside; the owner said he was going to stop by before she got there to make sure the generator was up and running, and by the look of the smoke puffing lazily from the chimney; he'd even started a fire for her before heading out.

Before she could really enjoy the significance of that small treat though; that damn cell phone started vibrating again.

Cursing rather colorfully, she sat back in the seat so she could lean over the console and rummage through the bag, the paper starting to give and wrinkle rather nosily as she shoved things out of the way to get to the bottom.

Finally getting the damned thing out, she flipped it open without bothering to check the display; only a handful of people knew the number anyway.

 **Note: and so we have a third chapter.  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men. I am making no profit from this fan based work.**

"What? In god's name -what? What is so damn important?" She snapped into the microphone as she carefully grabbed at the bags, trying to drag them over the console without splitting them. She let out another blasphemy when the top of one ripped halfway to her. "Well? "

"Rogue? It's Jean."Her voice was about as static-y and distant as the radio had been, but she could still hear the edge of worry in the woman's tone, and it made her give a heavy sigh."We want you to come home."

"Not a chance. I'm going to relax this time, and there's nothing you can do about it. " She stated rather petulantly, scooting out of the seat rear end first and hoisting the bags up onto her hips before kicking the door closed and trudging her way though the snowy yard up toward the porch.

"You can relax here, please just come home for Christmas; we don't want you to be alone. " For a moment she almost felt a twinge of guilt for leaving so abruptly after the last mission, and she'd never meant to worry the pregnant woman, but she just needed some time to be herself. To be Marie once, instead of just Rogue.

And as she carefully climbed the icy boards toward the green trimmed door, she replied.

 **Note: at this point I'm pretty much posting this just to get it off my hard drive.  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men. I am making no profit from this fan based work.**

"That's just it; I want to be alone. I've lived at the mansion playing super hero since I was sixteen; I just need some time to myself for a bit. I'm taking this vacation."

"But Sweetie-" Before Jean could finish her next plea, Rogue cut her off; setting the bags down on the railing before feeling around in her pocket with one gloved hand for the little key Mr. Logan had left with the town's grocery clerk for her.

"I'm going to be fine; I just need to get away for a bit. I'll be home soon; I promise." Finally fishing out the small bit of metal, she pinned the phone with her shoulder so she could unlock the door. It swung open with a small creak, and she turned back for her bags, sweeping them into her arms as she rushed inside the door.

The woman sighed, and Rogue could hear a collective groan somewhere in the background, it made her bite her lip to keep from laughing. "Well alright. Just... just know you're welcome home whenever you feel like coming back. Your presents will be here waiting for you."

She rushed over around a corner toward the small kitchenette to set her bags down on the counter before turning to go back for her things that she'd stuffed in the trunk. "Thanks Mama-Jeanie. I'll talk to you later okay? I really need to go."

 **Note: and so, another chapter. Getting this show on the road.  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men. I am making no profit from this fan based work.**

Quickly rushing back out and pulling the door too so she didn't let all the warmth out, she jumped down the steps, landing calf deep in a pile of snow, and making flurries fly up around her. "Bye baby, Scott says to tell you that you at least need to call on Christmas morning; everyone wants to hear from you."

The reluctance in Jean's voice made her laugh. "Alright, alright. I'll call. Bye Mama."

She quickly hung up after that, shoving the evil little contraption down into her pocket before jerking open her door and leaning in to pull the lever that popped the trunk, and rushing back to grab her duffel and backpack from inside it.

After slamming that shut with a delicious sense of finality, she finally got to take a nice good look around.

The entire place was wonderfully, beautifully, silent. No students running around. No teachers monitoring the cacophony of activity. Not even a nosy Xavier poking around in her head. Sure, she still had an accumulation of other voices up there, but she'd mastered her mutation ages ago, and they were weak from age; there were no real sounds here.

And the world she found herself immersed in was all deep greens, earthy browns, and overwhelming pale white snow that dusted every surface. The entire cabin was left unpainted; the bare, snow-painted logs looking warm and inviting against the forest that surrounded it. The evergreens that made up these woods looked endless; taller than even her stilted house and going on for miles and miles in every direction. A perfect backdrop to cement the idea of being well and truly alone.

 **Note: chapter 6.  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men. I am making no profit from this fan based work.**

Letting out a deep breath, she watched as the smoky tendrils of it snaked away from her until they disappeared in the snow that was still coming down around her. She giggled softly to herself as she did it again, pretending she could breath fire, before shaking her head at her own childishness and swinging her bags higher up on her shoulder so she could make her way back inside.

The decoration inside the cabin itself was sparse, but just as warm. None of the furniture matched except for the table and chairs in the kitchenette which all looked to be handmade. And given the small community in which she had so firmly planted herself; they probably were. Preferably by somebody's grandfather in his free-time.

The community was, after all, so small that apparently the grocery clerk even acted as the postman; the elderly man behind the counter knew everyone by name and could probably tell you their life stories if you asked. Very nearly had when she'd called about the cabin; Rouge had listened to the soft rumblings of the old man as he talked about her temporary landlord for a good ten minutes before finally being asked to leave her number with him so he could drive up the mountain and go retrieve Mr. Logan to take her call.

There were no hard lines out this far into the mountains; so it was either a cell phone -which probably had no signal-or the sweet old man who was going to gossip about you. And she'd given him a lot to gossip about.

 **Note: chapter 7.  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men. I am making no profit from this fan based work.**

Setting her duffel down on the couch, she settled herself in front of the fire; contemplating the small town and its colorful residents. And her new landlord, Mr. Logan, was a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, and taped to a puzzle box from what she'd gathered.

Rouge had waited patiently by the phone for the man to return and had been expecting to hear his cheerful voice on the other end of the line when she picked up; not the deep rumblings of a much younger man asking her how long she needed the cabin for and how many people were going to be staying.

"Um, just me sir. My name's Marie, and I'll be hoping to stay till at least new years; if it'll be available that is. " she had hesitantly replied, feeling suddenly very young and very stupid speaking to the quiet man.

Somewhere in the background she'd heard the rasping of the grocer fading in and out, admonishing Logan for his scowl and saying something along the lines of: 'Such a pretty young thing, and all alone. Make sure you give her a good rate; especially since she's stay'n so long.' And it made her have to force down a nervous laugh; as she'd never even met the old man in person.

She'd then heard Mr. Logan grumble something before speaking to her again, his voice immediately softer. Quieter. Telling her it was $150 a night, and to call back for him when she knew when she was arriving so he could get her generator going.

After that he'd handed the phone back to the old man to make the arrangements and disappeared without another word.

 **Note: chapter 8.  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men. I am making no profit from this fan based work.**

Normally, she wouldn't have given him a second thought and just continued on with her forced relaxation with the same single-minded intensity in which she approached everything, but he'd really captured her attention when she'd gone to pick up the key.

It had taken her the better part of two days to finally make it up to the little town; it was on a forgotten corner of the highway, built into the cliff face. And the store itself was tucked in-between some trees next to a single pump gas station.

Took her forever to find too; she must have circled that end of the mountain three times before finally spotting it.

And it was the quaintest little shop she'd ever seen. The inside was even wood planked, with posters and news articles posted all around and the aisles -ones short enough that even she could see over their tops. Rogue even knew immediately who the gruff looking elderly man behind the counter was by the bright smile that cracked up his face when he looked up to see who the tinkling of the bell was announcing.

The grocer had handed the key to her with a huge smile, exclamations of welcome and offers to show her around town before he'd even verified that she was indeed the highly anticipated Marie. The small, slightly rusted bit of metal also came with a small, precisely folded note, which in neat, plain script read:

 _Cabin's yours till you feel like leaving, remember $150 a night. We have bears up here, so there's a shot gun by the door -careful it's loaded, and the generator is in the shed out back; I'll come by once a week to check on it. It's touchy, so if it goes out, don't bother playing with it; just come get me. There's a small trail right around the back of the cabin marked by blue twine, it'll lead you right to me, don't matter what time; you come get me if it goes out, don't wait. Also, watch out for White Toes and Footie; they probably won't bite, but just come straight to the door._

The note was signed with a simple 'Logan', and its very existence was the talk of the town.

 **Note: chapter 9. Sorry to anyone who happens to be reading, for the delay in posting. I was in the hospital again. Same old non-since as usual, frankly. It just put me out of commission for a bit.  
**


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